A second look at dry shampoo
Let’s talk about hair health for a moment. You’ve probably heard that it’s not healthy to wash your hair every day, but how do we deal? I live in what is probably the most polluted city of a hot and humid country (ehem, Manila). Just the thought of skipping washing my hair for a day is enough to make me feel oily, icky, and itchy! Thankfully, there’s dry shampoo to save the day.
It’s not as popular here in the Philippines as it is in the West, but dry shampoo is a wonderful product that lets you enjoy fresh and clean second day hair. It usually comes in powder or dry spray-on form. Either way, it works by absorbing the oil that gives your mane its dirty and greasy appearance. Because the oil weighs the hair down, eliminating the excess oil means cancelling out the limpness as well, essentially restoring volume to your locks.
So what’s the difference between dry and regular shampoo? Compared to the former, dry shampoo doesn’t dry out your scalp. And since you’re not necessarily stripping out the oil from your roots, your scalp does not feel the need to produce more oil. Over time, dry shampoo can help control and stabilize your scalp’s oil production. But take note of its limits!
Thumbs down for three-day old hair and greasy roots
Think of dry shampoo as a temporary solution to keeping your hair clean. It will soak up the oil, yes, but it can't remove all the built up dirt, grime, and product residue. You still need water and regular shampoo to keep your hair and scalp in tip-top condition. Doctors recommend using dry shampoo in between washes, but no more than two days in a row to avoid product build up. You can also use dry shampoo post-workout, during a long haul flight, and pretty much anytime when showering isn’t an option. Quite nifty, if you ask me! Bring one with you on your next mountain hike so you can have picture-perfect hair once you reach the summit. *wink*
Personally, I love using the Lush No Drought Dry Shampoo. It’s effective, it gives me volume, it’s 100% natural, and the lime grapefruit scent is absolutely heavenly! I have light brown hair and I can work this powder on my roots without leaving a white mask. At P575 for a 115g bottle, I really believe that it gives bang for your buck considering how little product you need for each use. The only downside is that application can be messy if you’re used to aerosol dry shampoo. But once you get the hang of it, this Lush Dry Shampoo is amazing!
I part my hair in the center and work my way towards my ears, moving about an inch at a time. I just sprinkle the powder lightly on my scalp, and I let it sit for about two minutes before brushing it out with a synthetic bristle brush to blend the white powder out. It should be pretty obvious, but you should always start with dry hair or the powder would stick to the moisture and end up as a clumpy, chunky mess. If you do it right, the end result is fresh-looking and volumized tresses!
Do you use dry shampoo? What brands would you recommend?
